Now that you have had a chance to experience science education as it actually occurs, it might be useful for you to reflect on the role that you want inquiry to play in your own classroom. Before you do this, please look back on the resources and results from questions 3 and 4 from our inquiry jigsaw activity from last semester. After this review answer the following questions:
After considering the expectations for classroom inquiry presented in state and national standards what you think you will try to do in your own classroom?
- In my classroom inquiry will be one of the major motivators. Students can only be pushed so far with the idea that if you don't do this assignment then your grade will suffer. I have found that sometimes this isn't enough of a motivator. They take the failing grade and don't think twice about it. I feel like when a kid is interested then they want to try and figure out what is going on they want to know how things work. They also feel independent. Even if they don't really like you they will do the work because they are trying to figure things out for themselves. The idea of human curiosity can be a great ally to a teacher. Why not take advantage of it and use it to the best of our ability. It is also a skill that they students will use for the rest of their lives. Inquiry is a life skill not just a skill used in classrooms.
What resources and other forms of support do you think would be useful in order to be able to support classroom inquiry during your early years of teaching?
- After teaching in two very different settings, one where I had everything I needed at my fingertips and the other where I had nothing, I realize that starting good relationships with the teachers you work with is extremely important. Especially for a young teacher who is always looking for ideas. Being able to go to other teachers in the department and ask for suggestions or even materials is essential. Its impossible to have everything you will need, a budget is only so big. I found that teachers who have been at it for years have everything. They have the most random things you would never imagine and some of the greatest ideas for lessons that even if you can't use it all it can usually be tweaked to involve inquiry.
- I found that when involving inquiry into lesson their has to be some room for roaming. Kids will try different things and come up with crazy ideas and I found it hard at the beginning to just stand back and allow them to make mistakes and try again. Having a good idea of what misconceptions will arise is very important because it will allow you to prepare for those crazy ideas and respond in a manner that doesn't involve giving the students an answer.
After considering the expectations for classroom inquiry presented in state and national standards what you think you will try to do in your own classroom?
- In my classroom inquiry will be one of the major motivators. Students can only be pushed so far with the idea that if you don't do this assignment then your grade will suffer. I have found that sometimes this isn't enough of a motivator. They take the failing grade and don't think twice about it. I feel like when a kid is interested then they want to try and figure out what is going on they want to know how things work. They also feel independent. Even if they don't really like you they will do the work because they are trying to figure things out for themselves. The idea of human curiosity can be a great ally to a teacher. Why not take advantage of it and use it to the best of our ability. It is also a skill that they students will use for the rest of their lives. Inquiry is a life skill not just a skill used in classrooms.
What resources and other forms of support do you think would be useful in order to be able to support classroom inquiry during your early years of teaching?
- After teaching in two very different settings, one where I had everything I needed at my fingertips and the other where I had nothing, I realize that starting good relationships with the teachers you work with is extremely important. Especially for a young teacher who is always looking for ideas. Being able to go to other teachers in the department and ask for suggestions or even materials is essential. Its impossible to have everything you will need, a budget is only so big. I found that teachers who have been at it for years have everything. They have the most random things you would never imagine and some of the greatest ideas for lessons that even if you can't use it all it can usually be tweaked to involve inquiry.
- I found that when involving inquiry into lesson their has to be some room for roaming. Kids will try different things and come up with crazy ideas and I found it hard at the beginning to just stand back and allow them to make mistakes and try again. Having a good idea of what misconceptions will arise is very important because it will allow you to prepare for those crazy ideas and respond in a manner that doesn't involve giving the students an answer.